


Mistletoe Manipulations

by articcat621



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: M/M, Secret Snarry Swap 2020
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-15
Updated: 2020-12-15
Packaged: 2021-03-11 05:28:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,143
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28009980
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/articcat621/pseuds/articcat621
Summary: Harry shows Severus that he has a sneaky side.
Relationships: Harry Potter/Severus Snape
Comments: 27
Kudos: 124
Collections: Secret Snarry Swap20





	Mistletoe Manipulations

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you to my beta for looking this over.
> 
> Prompt: No. 8 from **lilyseyes** : Harry choses to stay at Hogwarts the first Christmas after the final battle. Newly reinstated Headmaster Snape wonders why.

Late Christmas Eve found most of the students and staff already in bed. It was the first Christmas after the end of the war, so most of the students had chosen to go home to be with their families, apart from a small handful of children. Most of the professors also took leave, apart from himself, Minerva, Pomona, Poppy, Filius, and Potter…

He still wasn’t sure why Potter had chosen to remain at the school instead of taking leave to be with the Weasleys. Of course, he also knew that he wasn’t one to judge, so it really wasn’t any of his business why some people chose to stay or go.

Severus decided to head up to the Astronomy Tower. Breathing in the chill air up there always helped to clear his head. Maybe that would help him get Potter out of his mind. 

Slowly, he climbed the stairs to the top of the Tower. He paused, reaching the last step. Ignoring the bout of guilt that always affected him when he visited the Tower, he entered the small room.

"Potter?" he said softly when he saw Harry leaning on the railing over the edge of the tower. It was chilly out, but there was an air of comfort to it.

Harry turned to face him. "Good evening, Headmaster.” 

Severus hasn’t expected anyone else to be up there, but he didn’t want to just turn and leave now. "Good evening,” he replied after a moment of indecision. “May I join you?" he asked softly.

"Of course," Harry replied, a smile gracing his features. "You needn't ask. You are the Headmaster, you know. I’m sure you could go where you wanted.”

“Yes, but you were here first,” Severus pointed out.

“It’s a quiet night. Most of the students are in bed, already,” Harry said. “I didn’t run into anyone on my way up here.” 

“A full, hearty meal will do that,” Severus said, also recalling that the halls had been empty on his rounds. “But most of the staff and students returned home for the holidays - more so than usual.” Severus took that moment to ask what was on his mind. “Why did you stay, Potter?” 

“Harry,” he corrected him. “Whenever you call me Potter, I just think you’re imagining me as my dad, and I’m not him,” he said softly, taking a deep breath. “Truthfully, I just needed the space from the Weasleys. I know this is going to be an emotional holiday without Fred, and Molly and Ginny are both still furious with me for ‘leading Ginny on’ apparently,” he said with air quotes. “I never promised that I’d get back with her after everything, but apparently she thought I did.” 

“Young love,” Severus said, resisting the urge to scoff. “The drama… The heartbreak.” 

Harry laughed. “Not really. I didn’t love Ginny. I thought I did, for the longest time, but I, er… I’m actually into blokes,” he admitted softly. 

“Really?” Severus asked in surprise, looking at Harry differently. “I hadn’t realised.”

“Yeah, well, it was hard to explore my sexuality when a psychomaniac was trying to kill me,” Harry pointed out. 

“True,” Severus conceded. “It’s not as stigmatising as it is in the Muggle world,” he offered, not sure where Harry was in the processing of coming out.

“I’m not worried about it,” Harry said truthfully. “Who I have feelings for only should only matter to me and that one person, the rest of the world can forget about it.” He took a deep breath. “But yeah, I love Molly and Arthur, they’re like second parents to me, but I just couldn’t deal with her pushing me and Ginny together during this holiday season. So, I’m taking some space. I might pay a visit, still, but am not staying there. Hermione and Ron were very understanding.”

“That’s good, at least.” 

“How come you stayed?” Harry asked, looking at Severus.

“I’m the Headmaster, I had to.” 

Harry arched a brow. “Well, if you weren’t the Headmaster, would you still have stayed?”

“I don’t see the difference in being alone here versus being alone at home,” Severus pointed out. “Staying here for the holidays has always been my preference, ever since I was a first year.”

Harry nodded in understanding. “I never spent Christmas with the Dursleys. Hogwarts has always been home for Christmas… Unless I was with the Weasleys.”

“We have that in common, then.” 

“We might have more in common than you think, Severus.”

“I’m not so sure about that,” Severus said, shaking his head.

Harry shook his head, laughing. He looked up, and his eyes suddenly widened. “Er, Severus?” he said, clearing his throat.

Severus followed Harry’s gaze upwards and felt his body stiffen when he saw what was hanging above them. Had that been there the whole time? How could he have not noticed it? Or did someone sneak up there and magically place it? Was it another staff member?

“That’s mistletoe,” Harry said when he realised Severus wasn’t going to say anything. He looked at Severus, his cheeks slightly red.

“Yes, it is,” Severus said, clearing his throat. “Well spotted.”

“Can I kiss you?” Harry asked bluntly, clearing his throat.

Severus looked at Harry carefully. If he didn’t know any better, he’d say that Harry was almost _eager_ to kiss him… But that couldn’t be it, could it? 

Harry looked at him patiently and Severus realised he was waiting for his consent. “Yes, you may,” he said quietly. Severus was expecting it to be brief, awkward mistletoe kiss. What he was not expecting was Harry to pull him close and snog him senseless. 

Severus was frozen for a moment before he realised what was happening. He quickly returned the kiss, pressing his body against Harry’s. The kiss was heavenly, and suddenly, Severus suspected why Harry wanted to stay at Hogwarts for the holiday. 

When they broke apart, they were both smiling. 

“That was… Wow,” Harry said, slightly breathless. “Severus, I’ve wanted to kiss you for quite some time.” 

“Would you like to retire to my quarters for the evening?” Severus asked nervously. “I’ve got a bottle of mulled mead that we can open.”

“That’s a perfect Christmas drink,” Harry said, “And I’d love that.”

“Shall we?” Severus gestured for Harry to follow him. He began to walk towards the exit, but paused near the doorway to see if Harry was behind him. He happened to catch Harry stuffing the sprig of mistletoe into his pocket. _Caught you,_ Severus thought smugly. He wondered if Harry had been carrying around the mistletoe all weekend in hopes of catching him alone. 

“Shall we?” Harry asked, oblivious to having been caught. “We could probably get the house-elves to bring up some biscuits, too.” 

“Of course,” Severus said, smirking, enjoying Harry’s secret Slytherin tendencies. He wondered what else Harry had up his sleeve.

**Author's Note:**

> Please leave a comment here or at [LiveJournal](https://snape-potter.livejournal.com/3930188.html), [Insanejournal](http://asylums.insanejournal.com/snape_potter/1855456.html), or [Dreamwidth](https://snape-potter.dreamwidth.org/1190596.html).


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